Melvin and Howard (1980)

Director:

Jonathan Demme

Writer:

Bo Goldman (written by)

Release Date:

19 September 1980 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Tagline:

A true story?

Plot:

The story of hard-luck Melvin Dummar, who claimed to have received a will naming him an heir to the fortune of Howard Hughes.

Plot Keywords:

Motorcycle | Desert | Las Vegas Nevada | Child Custody | Utah

Awards:

Won 2 Oscars. Another 14 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Jason Robards	...	Howard Hughes
Paul Le Mat	...	Melvin Dummar
Elizabeth Cheshire	...	Darcy Dummar
Mary Steenburgen	...	Lynda Dummar
Chip Taylor	...	Clark Taylor
Melvin E. Dummar	...	Bus Depot Counterman
Michael J. Pollard	...	Little Red
Denise Galik	...	Lucy
Gene Borkan	...	Go-Go Club Owner #1
Lesley Margret Burton	...	Go-Go Dancer
Wendy Lee Couch	...	Go-Go Dancer
Marguerite Baierski	...	Go-Go Dancer
Janice King	...	Go-Go Dancer
Deborah Ann Klein	...	Go-Go Dancer
Theodora Thomas	...	Go-Go Dancer

Runtime:

95 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Canada:14+ (Ontario) | Australia:M | Singapore:NC-16 | Finland:K-12 | USA:R | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Gabbs, Nevada, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

At the beginning of the film, Melvin Dummar sings a song that he has penned, "Santa's Souped Up Sleigh." He tells Howard Hughes that he sent the words - along with a sum of money - to the Hollywood Music Company, an outfit that puts its customers' song lyrics to music for a fee. Although Melvin doesn't realize it, the tune that the company used is not an original one: they paired his lyrics with the melody of "Wabash Cannonball."

Goofs:

Continuity: At the end of the truck ride to Vegas, Hughes doesn't know how to open the passenger door from the inside, but in Dummar's flashback at the end of the movie (when Hughes gets to drive the truck), Hughes has no trouble opening the door.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Night Court: Melvin and Harold (#7.18)" (1990)

Soundtrack:

Love Can't Hold a Ramblin' Man

Quirky Film Deserves A Look

Here's a strange tale of a couple and their on-and-off again marriage and the stupid things they do.....and the eventual flak over money billionaire Howard Hughes supposedly left the man.

Paul LaMat plays the husband and supposed beneficiary. He's just fun to watch, a likable, never-loses-his-cool kind of guy. Mary Steenburgen plays his wife and kind of surprised me by how much skin she showed, not the usual scenario with her. Both of them are somewhat low-lifes. Heck, even Hughes (Jason Robards) is pictured to look kind of scummy character in here. Then again, his last years on this earth were a bit strange!

It's a fictional story but those of us who remember, there WAS a lot of flak over the will of Howard Hughes. Despite this being on the grungy side (typical for movies between 1970-1981) this is still an appealing film in a sweet kind of way.

One thing for sure: it's different. Well worth a look.